Chad le Clos Adds 200 Fly Victory at 2017 SA Nationals

Photo Courtesy: Anesh Debiky

After four days of competition, South African’s top athletes displayed no signs of slowing down as the FINA World Championships qualification times continue to pour in at the SA National Aquatic Championships in Durban.

There was no stopping Chad le Clos as he raced to his second FINA World Championships qualifying time in his favorite 200m butterfly. Le Clos’ fast time of 1:55.00 saw him claim the gold, over four seconds ahead of Myles Brown, who ended with a time of 1:59.77. Alard Basson was third in 2:03.86.

Cameron van der Burgh was once again in top form as he sped to the finish in the 50m breaststroke, claiming his second gold medal in 27.17 ahead of Brad Tandy’s 28.16 and Jared Pike’s 28.34, while Tatjana Schoenmaker led the charge in her respective race and walked away with the gold in 31.61 ahead of Kaylene Corbett in 32.02 and Tara-Lynn Nicholas in 32.44.

Rebecca Meder, Kate Beavon and Dune Coetzee were all smiles as they confirmed their FINA Junior World Championships qualification times in the 200m freestyle. Meder won the event in 2:02.94, while Beavon claimed the silver in 2:03.13 and Coetzee finished fourth in 2:03.90. The bronze went to Nathania van Niekerk in 2:03.57.

Matthew Meyer just missed out on the 800m freestyle FINA World Championships qualification time, as he scooped the gold in 7:54.53, to the required 7:54.31, ahead of JoshDannhauser in 8:01.02 and Chad Michau (16), who added his name to the FINA Junior World Championships qualification list with a time of 8:22.99.

Mariella Venter booked her second FINA Junior World Championships qualification, this time in the 200m backstroke semi-finals when she clocked 2:13.52, over four second under the required 2:18.41.

The semi-finals of the 50m backstroke saw Jacques van Wyk, Clayton Jimmie and Jack Oliver fill out the top three spots in 26.06, 26.82 and 27.09, while the ladies’ race was contested between Venter, Felicity Passon and Erin Gallagher in 29.04, 29.79 and 29.87 respectively. The finals for both events will take place tomorrow.

Zane Waddell, Douglas Erasmus and Ryan Coetzee will be battling it out for the 100m freestyle gold in tomorrow night’s final, as they concluded this evening’s semi-finals in 49.55, 50.26 and 50.74, while Dune Coetzee, Marli Jacobs and Caitlin Kat will be looking for fast times in the 200m butterfly final, having finished the semi-finals in 2:16.27, 2:19.59 and 2:21.27, respectively.

The 200m individual medley semi-final was dominated by Ayrton Sweeney in 2:01.69, followed by Neil Fair in 2:03.14 and Luan Grobbelaar in 2:07.59, with the final being held tomorrow.

Paralympian Hendri Herbst won the gold in the 50m freestyle (S1-13) in a fast 27.50, while the first place in the S14-15 category went to Pierre Dellieu in a Deaf Olympics Qualification time of 24.51. Dellieu also grabbed the 50m breaststroke gold in 31.15.

On the ladies side, Christelle Kriel, who posted a World Para Swimming Championships qualification time in the 100m butterfly earlier in the week, claimed her third and fourth gold medal of the competition in the 50m freestyle (S14-15) in 31.55 and the 50m breaststroke in 43.22, with the S1-13 freestyle gold going to Shannon Martins in 34.73 and the breaststroke title to Cornelle Leach in 44.00.

The day 05 heats will start at 10h00 while the finals will begin at 18h00 daily.

The staging of this event has been made possible through the support provided by Swimming SA partners, Sport and Recreation South Africa, SASCOC, National Lotteries Commission, Arena and Rand Water.

Qualifying Times following Day 04 – 17th FINA World Championships:

Cameron van der Burgh – 100m breaststroke – 59.73

Chad le Clos – 200m freestyle – 1:46.84, 200m butterfly – 1:55.00

Myles Brown – 200m freestyle – 1:47.55

Qualifying Times following Day 04 – 6th FINA Junior World Swimming Championships:

Author: Taylor Brien

Taylor Brien is the Circulation and Operations Manager at Swimming World. A native of Bettendorf, IA and a 2015 graduate of Illinois College, she has covered a variety of events since joining the SW team in 2015, including the NCAA Championships, World Championships, Olympic Trials, and 2016 Rio Olympic Games.